Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles WSM's dying????

I know I know..... we all thought it was coming. For the last 2 years I really stepped away from the rifle scene. At that time finding 7mm WSM was like finding unicorn teeth. The 270 bullet selection was just getting a boost to catch up to 30cal and 7mm offerings. Suam's were a pipe dream and wsm's looked to be following. I won a 7mm wsm and have hoped i would be able to find brass for a while.... Sadly im thinking that the ones i have i should hold on to.

Fast forward to this week. I have been contemplating buying a new rifle. Started looking at cartridge offerings from major manufacturers. Im a bit of a 7mm fan..... or snob if you prefer. Just what I grew up around. No one in my family ever shot anything other then .270win or 7mm RM. So following suit im looking into a 280 rem. to go along side my many 7mm offerings. How i dont have one is beyond me.

Anyways back to the title. I noticed that many companies weren't offering WSM's. And if they did it was only the .270 and the .300 wsm. The 7mm wsm was the hardest to find and the 325 i couldn't find. was scarce and the .325 was non existent.

Im sure many make customs or even semi customs in the two but are we seeing hte decline of the WSM"s. I dont think the 300wsm will ever die. But i remember that at one point a guy couldn't find 7mm brass to save a dying uncle. I did a quick search on Midway and looks like hornady picked up the manufacture of it. Thats new to me in the last 2 or 3 years. But Winchester brass isn't even listed anymore and the hornady is out of stock with no option to back order.

Which leads me to my question. If i go the route of a 270wsm , would it simply be un known in 10 years with no new components being made?

The .300 WSM will survive. The 7mm WSM's already dead.

If you choose to go with the .270 WSM make sure you have a lifetimes worth of brass.

I'm personally not breathless over the 300 WSM either. The two I had weren't all that wonderful. Finicky. Of the lot,the 270 is,in my mind,the best. I've never seen one that wasn't capable of easy accuracy. A couple just plain drill little bitty holes for groups. A few years ago I was talking to Red Hawk Rifles. I was convinced I needed one of the short 7mm mags. To say I'm glad it didn't take shape is an understatement. Americans just never have warmed up to the .284 as a whole. The .277 and .308 have been our darlings for so long it's hard to introduce a new 7mm, and have it flourish. My personal favorite North American do-all cartridge would be the 7 mm Remington magnum. The recent resurgence of the 280 AI has been refreshing. I love mine to death. I guess we like our cartridges like our women. Long and thin,with a nice neck and good shoulders.

Are the WSMs dying. Yes. They couldn't stand the turn of events that transpired after Columbine. The hoarding. The component shortages. The industry chose not to expand to meet the need. Instead they chose seasonal manufacturing policies. Feeding the craze,and raising prices exponentially. WSMs won't be back. Inexpensive components are a thing of the past. Hell,if the little love there is for the 257 Roberts dies out,.25 caliber bullets are next on the endangered species list.

The glory days of being a gun nut handloader are over. Catch one of the trends and ride the wave. Ugly ultra light rigs and plastic tipped bullets currently. When you get tired of that just hang on. There will be another along shortly.
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I really don’t worry about brass availability if I like a round. I shoot 307 &356 Win., 303 Savage, 25 35 , etc. and never had a problem finding brass if I was patient and diligent. I do agree with buy it when you find it, but for a hunting rifle a couple hundred new hulls will last a long time.

I love my 7 SAUM and will never be without one. I've never had a problem finding components for it, either.

300 WSM will be around a long time...

I like my 270 WSM, I have 300 cases, should take me out!!!

I have Browning White Golds in 300 and 325 WSM. The 300 is nice and shoots just under an inch but I absolutely love the 325. Found ammo pretty easy at my LGS. Tried 3 factory boxes. All under 60 bucks a box. It shoots a nice little clover using factory Winchester 200 gr Accu bonds. Went and got another box of it. Should be plenty for my lifetime. Even the cheapest factory 220 gr Winchesters at 51 bucks a box shot just under an inch. I was pleasantly surprised! Recoil is the same for both, about the same as a 300 Win Mag.

I've had a couple 300WSM's, they were accurate as hell. I ended up getting rid of them and keeping the ol 06's. I still have a 7WSM, and actually prefer it over the older 7mm Rem magnum. As for finding brass, I have found 7WSM loaded ammo (federal) here and there. A few months ago, I believe Federal made a run of the stuff, as there were 5 boxes of ammo at Sportsman's and I ended up buying all 5. I've seen more of that same ammo on the shelves there over the last few months, so ammo is out there. I figure I'll keep the ol Winchester model 70 stainless classic in 7wsm. Hell, it may be a pretty collectible item in another 40 years...

That thing may be collectable right now. Wood or synthetic?

Synthetic. Ive been thinking about puting it in a nice wood stock though..

Funny how this works....some cartridges catch on and some die....I always thought the 300 WSM would servive mainly due to the love ov 30 cal carved out by great stuff like the 30-30 30/06 300 win and why...even tho the 7 WSM probbly makes more sense..their popularity may be diving off some due to the crappy tupware stocks making a light rifle that kicks the snot out of ya....not good for new shooters to experience....I think they are migrating towards things like the 6.5 creed...
Somthing else that doesn't make any sence is the 280 should have and kinda does replace the 270 and 30-06 yet it has struggled for years...even had a name change along the way...
And think about this why hasn't the 7x57 and 257 Roberts died off...when the 708 and 25-06 available..
Or why do we still love the 22 hornet and the 221 Fb and 17 Fb are fading fast...
Here is the way I see it...there is only a need for verry few cartridges ..the ones that have servived the test of time are the ones that fit the bill the best...may actually have nothing to do with ballistics but rather the platform...perfict example its the 30-30. I have killed many deer with cf rifles...everything from small and fas to med to big and big fast heavy you name it...but actually most of those could have been killed just as dead with the good ol 30-30...

I love my 270 WSM. Mild recoil, sends 130 NBT/NAB out at 3250 FPS, keeps them well under MOA, and kills like lightning. I have stocked up on brass - just in case...

The 7 WSM is one of my all-time favourite chamberings. I can’t see myself ever being without 1 or 2 in the foreseeable future...

Being as I have 950 pieces of 7 WSM....that should be good for a few barrels worth. Especially now that Bertram is going to be consistently making it in batches.....supposedly.

I’ve had 8 300 WSM’s... all produced sub moa accuracy with the stuff they liked. Like the 308 Win, it’s the most eager to please round I’ve ever worked with. However, my current 300 WSM is probably the most consistently accurate factory rifle I’ve ever owned. I have no real need for it, but it’s so darn accurate I can’t bare to part with it. A 180 at 3,030 is one heck of a lot of power.

I like my 7wsm and don't see me getting ride of it. I have a couple hundred pieces of 7wsm head stamp brass and since I have a set of dies I can make it from 300wsm and 325 wsm brass easily.

My Melvin Forbes ULA 270 WSM is my all time favorite rifle; extremely accurate & very manageable recoil for this old geezer! Have plenty of brass, even if I was fifty years younger!!!

The 300 WSM and 270 WSM are very popular around these parts. I have a 300 WSM and 2 270 WSM's. My Sako A7 Tecomate is my go to rifle for the 60 acre field at our farm.

I really like my 270 WSM and have enough brass to burn out the barrel. But even though on paper it is more than a 270 Win. with my shooting abilities it is not much more in the field. It is accurate and easy to load for. The brass is hell for stout and Norma and some others were making it at least for the 300.

Only if the short action were a major part of the choice would I go WSM over say 280AI but the 7 @ 6.5 SAUM do have a lot going for them ballistically and in a short action. The 7x300 WSM would assure you brass is available at the expense of no factory loads. I would get what ever you fancy and stock up on brass. The older I get the less differences I see in cartridges as diverse as the 6.5 Creedmoor up to the 7RM. Sure the RM is better for larger game but for deer only the same same could be said for most cartridges from 6mm to thirty.

I have 2 WSM's. Remington 700 Custom 270 WSM, Benchmark 26 inch #4 fluted barrel. RL 26 140 Bergers
Remington 700 Custom 300 WSM, Benchmark 26 inch #4 fluted barrel. RL 17 165 TTSX.
Remington 700 Custom 7 Saum , Benchmark 24 inch #3 fluted barrel. H4350 145 LRX. Close to a 7 WSM. LOL
All shoot awesome.

If you want a 270 WSM, buy one!

Eddie Fosnaugh is currently building me one. That said, I'm buying enough 270 WSM brass to last me into the future. I also have a 325 WSM, and have enough brass to last me the life of the barrel or until I die, but probably wont shoot the barrel out.....

I have a 300WSM.Really about the only bullet weights I've done much work with in it is 165 and 168gr bullets.Is it equal to a 300 Win Mag?No....It runs very close and it's a darn good round,but I think I can squeeze about 100fps more out of the 300 Win Mag.But if short actions are your thing,then the 300WSM is an excellent choice.It's really right between the 30-06 and the 300 Win Mag and that's not a bad place to be since you can kill just about anything with a 30-06.In the future,brass may become an issue due to this long range 6.5 trend that's going on right now.Sales and promotions of new cartridges is what kills a lot of the older good cartridges due to the lack of their sales.I really wish they would have built the WSM line on a medium length action.That would have given more mag length for longer bullets without eating up your case capacity.I guess time will tell,but if I was limited to one cartridge for all my hunting,I could live with a 300WSM.but that's just me.

I have both a 270 and 300 wsm, plenty of brass, even have an unopened bag of 300 wsm brass, hope they both stay around

Fret not. While there are plenty of other rounds available that will do what needs doing, if you simply must have a .270 WSM or anything else really, then locate a bunch of brass before you buy or build, then have at it. If you run out, then neck down some .300.

Just read an article that declares the 6.5 PRC might be the best hunting round ever. Don't know why anyone would mess with anything else!😜

Guess it's time for me to sell all my rifles and buy a PRC...........No way!!!!!!!

Notice he left out the old 264 Win Mag when he wrote the article on the PRC.

I like my 7WSM much better than the 2 7mm rem mags I had and got rid of. They aren't as finicky and they don't kick as hard. I'm really surprised the 7WSM doesn't have more of a following...

Always wanted a 264 Win Mag ever since I was a kid, can't think I'll ever feel that way about the PRC. Just purchased a Win Model 70 Classic Stainless CRF in 7mm Rem as a donor. Will have a 264 Win Mag put together in the very soon!

I just can't see buying any of the short magnums. I see no need, there is always a trade off, short action, 1 or 2 less rounds in any given rifle. The old 270 Win, which I don't own and never have is a great no frills cartridge. My brother had the 270 so I had to be different and go with the 30-06. He could shoot circles around me, but, Joe could do that with any gun or caliber combo. Have said that I'm not a bad shot, but Joe was a natural. My Father shot the 7mm Mag when it came out, so I could not go that route. Well the old 30-06, which I still have, still works just fine.
Back to the subject. I don't see the need for the short magnums, other than just needing an excuse to buy one more rifle, which I understand completely. But, I got to say the old stand by's are still the best in my mind. The 243 Win, 257 Roberts, 270 Win, 7x57, 30-30, 30-06, 300 Win, 338 Win, 35 Rem, 35 Whelen, 375 H&H, these cartridges work well and in the right rifle, say newer manufacture with tighter tolerances, and the new bullets being made today, these cartridge's work well. Yes there is a call for something special from time to time, but, how often?
Ok, the 7mm magnum should be in there, but, I personally can't go there.
So while these newer cartridges are a good on one hand, the extra 100 or 200 fps for the most part is not needed except on a rare occasion. I must admit that a stray from the above cartridges with a 6 x 47, 338-06 improved, 458x2, and a 35 whelen long before it was standardized, but often find myself right back a the standards.
Lately I find myself having fun with the good old 250-3000, 30-30, 30-40 Krag, 32 Spl, 348 Win, 35 Remington, and the 45-70. Which I realize is not even close to the subject, but, I was in the fold of looking for the "need for speed", unless you live in open country, you don't need anything but the old stand by's.
Just my 3 cents.

I bought a 325 just before Winchester started having financial difficulties. They quit promoting the caliber and it drifted into limbo. Luckily it had enough momentum for a while for a few companies to produce bullets and ammo. I bought 300 Winchester cases and shot what offerings were available. It does really well with Accubond and Barnes 200 grain bullets. Also 180 grain Barnes and the 168 grain bullet Barnes was producing for a while. Sierra also offers a 220 grain Game King and a 196 grain Match King. I really like the rifle and this caliber. Knowing what I know now, would I do the same thing? Probably. Does it fill a need which can’t be filled with another caliber? Probably not. One thing about the 325 though: it shoots a wide variety of bullets very well. It does land between the .308 caliber and .338, has good bullets out there for it, offerings in brass are limited although the 300 WSM case can be necked up if you want to shoot something other than Win brass.
It’s a hard hitter on elk, all the elk I’ve shot with it were one shot kills. My rifle kicks like a mule, less than a 338 Win, but enough that I don’t want to shoot it all day long. My rifle comes in at 8 lbs without a scope. It really needs a brake. I can only imagine what a 6 lb Kimber feels like.
I think the 300 WSM is here to stay. It really does what Winchester set out to do: closely (but not totally) match the 300 Win in a shorter lighter rifle. The rest of them haven’t really taken off and probably never will. I’ll keep mine though.

I think the 270 WSM will make it. I don’t know about the 7mmWSM

My 270 WSM is the most reliably accurate rifle that I own. If I shoot all of the reloading components that I have for it, I will certainly be rebarreling the rifle.


Dan

With bullet selection available these days, I'd think a 7/284 would always be preferred over a 270 when comparing the two on the same base cartridge, at least for handloaders. So,the 270 WSM potentially surviving while the 7 WSM wouldn't, just doesn't add up to me. I guess I am saying that I agree. LOL

I have two M70 Winchester Super Shadows in 7mmWSM. I won’t have any problems because they are hunting rifles and my hunting days are dwindling. That said, what, if any, rebarreling/rechambering options are available for those actions? Just wondering.

I have a 270WSM and 270Win both with 24" barrels. When loaded with 140gn bullets my 270 Win outperforms the 270WSM by a good margin, despite having less case capacity. Go figure !

Try a different bullet powder combination. Initially I was shooting 140 grain Hornady Interlocks using R-22 and getting 3088 with my 270 WSM.
I changed the powder to R-25 and the bullet to a 140 grain SST and got about 3175. My goal was 3200 fps. Both loads show exceptional accuracy.

I could probably try Magpro and hit 3200 fps but I don't think the deer is going to know the difference at this point.

Dan

From ballisticstudies.com : In recent years, wildcatters have necked down the 7mm WSM to form a wildcat 6.5WSM. Velocities produced by the WSM duplicate those produced by the .264, the major difference being that the WSM is able to use a short action rather than the long action used by the .264. The WSM is a beltless design which has the potential to produce smoother feeding than the belted .264.

That would be a fun little project. Same bolt face. Creedmoor on steroids.

I would like to have a 6.5 WSM. Be a fabulous deer cartridge, along with a hundred others!

The 300 will probably stick around. Not sure of the others but 300 brass will work for them.

The WSMs were reported to have problems feeding thus the reason Winchester came out with what was called the Controlled Round Push Feed to help with that. I have a few rifles that shoot belted cases and have never experienced any problems with them.

I’ve got WSM’S in PF and CRF rifles, and have zero feeding problems in either,

The very early CRF M70's had some feeding problems, but those were solved pretty quickly. Over the years I've used various WSM's, all .270's or .300's, in three CRF Model 70's, two Nosler 48's, a Browning A-Bolt and a Kimber. All fed just fine, including the CRF M70 I have right now.

That is because Winchester never marketed them right. And no one but Kimber builds a WSM designed around the cartridges strengths. If you're going to build a rifle the same size and weight as a standard belted magnum cartridge there is very little reason to choose any of the WSM's over traditional magnum cartridges. The short action vs long action alone isn't enough difference to matter.

My personal experience is with 300 WSM, but the principle applies to all of them. I could load 300 WSM to within 50 fps of 300 WM, but with 10-15 gr less powder. The combination of less powder and slightly less speed results in recoil that exactly splits the difference between 30-06 and 300 WM in the same weight rifle. OR, I could put together a 300 WSM that weighed 7.5 lbs that recoiled exactly the same as an 8.5 lb 300 WM.

The purpose of the WSM's was to be able to have a lighter weight mountain rifle with performance that was about 98% of 300WM, but with manageable recoil. A 7.5 lb scoped 300 WM will get your attention. A 7.5 lb 300 WSM is much more pleasant to shoot.

I don't think the 300 or 270 WSM will be going under. The 7mm WSM might well be the best of the bunch, but it's introduction was delayed for about a year after the other 2. They had enough of a head start that it never caught up. I can see it going under. The 300 WSM shoots the same bullet weigths as 325 WSM to exactly the same speed. But the 30's have MUCH better BC"s and beat the 325 easily. I never did figure out why they ever offered that one.

I never really though that any of the short mags would survive. The long range crowd seem to like the 300 so theres hope for it. The others, not so much. My Son built a 300 and shot it for a while, got tired of it and put it up for sale. It shot so well, 1/2in, that I could no stand to see it go and bought it. Its built like a tactical rifle, not your typical hunting rifle. AMU contour Krieger barrel, McMillan stock, Jewel trigger and a Holland firing pin. Its now my rifle of choice when I can ride up close to a deer stand and sit. I buy a hundred cases evertime I see them on sale. I've killed Coyotes with it out to 500 yards.

Just received the 270 WSM that Eddie Fosnaugh built for me. Rem 700 SA with a 25” Hart magnum sporter barrel + Hawkins muzzle brake, Jewell trigger, HS precision stock and bottom metal. Shot a box of Federal factory stuff through it yesterday to begin breaking her in. Going to start load development this weekend with 150 gr Bergers.

That is a beauty did he paint the stock

The WSMs were reported to have problems feeding thus the reason Winchester came out with what was called the Controlled Round Push Feed to help with that. I have a few rifles that shoot belted cases and have never experienced any problems with them.
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Control feed was around in 1898 Mauser.

Man, Eddie does not fugg around. What a beauty

Lampson. Nice rifle. Let us know how it shoots. Really nice finish work. If it shoots as good as it looks you’v got a keeper.

This.

Nice rifle!

Incredible.

The stock is actually a factory paint job. I purchased it from Red Hawk Rifles, and had them ship it to Eddie. This is my third rifle that I've had Eddie build, the others are a 7mm Rem and 300 Win. Both are crazy tack drivers, and I expect this one will do the same!

He did a stand up job on that rifle. What does it weigh?

So it’s 2020 and I know that Winchester Short Magnums have survived. Especially the 300wsm. One thing is certain, I know two 325wsm rifles will survive in my safe, and the family I give them to, when my time in this world is up. I have enough brass to last two lifetimes. I’m also very confident there are others that will continue to own wissums. Ammo and components are available. 300 wsm has strong sales. A simple barrel swap from one wissum to another makes the family of short mags somewhat interesting. And they all have notable, if not outstanding performance.There’s so many more great things I can say but I’ll leave it at that.

Yeah I heard that one too. LMAO. But that L Delta issue has not affected my Kimber SuperAmerica nor my Browning ABolt. I have yet to have a misfeed on either rifle and both are smooth as silk. Each has 250 rounds through them without issue. Believe half of what you see and less of what you hear. Some people really make me laugh.

Looks like a Pollack splatter job. Amazing how people now pay millions for his work. Go figure- lol.

I don’t think the 270 or 300 will die out. Two great cartridges

I absolutely LOVE my Winchester 70 Featherweight in 270 WSM!

It looks beautiful, functions perfectly, and is super accurate using Nosler 140 AB and RL-19.

The 325, 300, and 270 will live on. Peculiar thing about the 325- it sure seems to get its hooks into hunters that try it! I still see plenty of components being run for the whole lineup as well. I just wish Lapua made brass for them.

7mmWSM and 325WSM are dead; they lack mainstream factory rifle chamberings.

The population of rifles in safes chambered in 270WSM and 300WSM will keep their existence afloat, but new rifle sales in these chamberings will continue to wane.

I've owned both 270WSM and 300WSM. Both were very accurate.

During the previous decade's component shortage, my stock of brass for both WSMs was limited and both rifles sat idle. I decided then the odd ball WSM brass was not my cup of tea.

The 270WSM factory rifles need faster twist barrels to capitalize on the newer (longer) bullet offerings w/ high BCs. Long range shooting is in vogue, and 270WSM factory rifles/ammo can't fully compete. The 100-200fps speed gain of 270WSM over 270win was not worth the effort. Do I really need a 130 pill at 3200fps to kill a deer?

As a handloader, the 300WSM was advantageous over the 300WM; no belt, abundant medium to slow powder choices, adequate barrel twist, and 90% of the WM speed. Again, brass is the limiting factor.

Magazine capacity for WSM is also usually 1 or 2 less than 270Win, 300WM, etc. And I do find longer cartridges are easier to handle with cold / gloved hands.

If you gave me a WSM for free, I'd shoot the barrel out. But it wouldn't be my primary rifle, and I wouldn't buy/build one.

How'd you like to be holding a .30 TC or .30 Marlin Express 20 years from now?

Ive had 3 didn't do much for me. Learned alot though. Bolt thrust and grinding a shellholder come to mind. Did not feed well at all for me. I pretty much thought there was some on the market already that didn't make it. Weatherby, Lazorini (spelled wrong) and my favorite the 6.5 Remington Magnum (which I really did like) Couple of gun writers felt the belt was a terrible thing and anything on a 404 case could do no wrong. I wonder if Rick Jamison still gets his 3%?

I am seeing the opposite, at least on 300 WSM. A lot of my friends who run 300 win mag are steadily switching over to the WSM--this is why I switched myself. With factory ammo, the 300 wsm really does get you 300 win mag external ballistics for a little more than 30-06 recoil. I see more 300 wsm ammo on shelves in more places than I have in the past.

I agree with all the above criticisms of the rounds--lower capacity and iffy feeding in Remington actions. For the average hunter...no they don't need any magnum cartridge at all.

The 7mm WSM is a fine cartridge but it kind of got screwed by the different shoulder, it being farther than the 300's. 325 will live on because it just is better suited to the platform for practical hunting distances, those that discover it will like it, and it is a relatively simple conversion from 300 WSM brass. Plus it's still supported by factory loads from Winchester and others.

The 270 WSM has always been touted as the one which has the greatest advantage over the standard comparable cartridge (270 Win). I get great feeding and great accuracy from my Winchester 70 Featherweight. The rifle is beautiful to boot, like all Winchester 70 Featherweights. They are be best looking factory rifles ever made in my opinion.

My favorite bullet for mine is the Nosler 140 Accubond. It is extremely accurate!

I really don't want one but I don't want them to die out. I thought about one in 358 or 366 but I found a 673 in 350 RM so I'm there. Capacity of the '06 in a short action. I have found over the years there is a price in penetration with more velocity. The bullets have to be harder, .......... Be Well, Rustyzipper.

The pre-64 Model 70 with original chamberings. Have 7 of them. None of the
WSMs will fit nor are as accurate. The new rifles have no iron sights. Winchester should have kept the original pre-64 Model 70.

A few facts about the wsm currently. There is still plenty of components, custom ammo makers make ammo(quite a few), and you can use any wsm brass for the other. The 270,300,and 325 are all the same case.Winchester has the budget XPR in 325. Winchester also does a run of 325 every couple of years. I still get Winchester, Nosler and Bertram brass. Dying? Maybe, but not to me or other reloaders paying attention. Besides, I already have enough brass for my lifetime. Maybe even two other lifetimes- lol.

So, Lampson, you've probably had enough time to wring out your Eddie Fosnaugh 270WSM, by now. How does it shoot?

Oh, damn don't say its true.. WSM's dying? Oh for fu cks sake..

From a manufacturer angle... PRC has better backing,
From a compeition angle SAUM has better performance for now

But when it comes to chambering (accuracy of off the shelf rifles), then the Creedmoor & PRC as way ahead of the curb.

Which one would you want ?

Alright, I'll take the Nosler...

They couldn’t get the performance they wanted while trying to develop a 338wsm. That was the original plan that never came to fruition. So they stepped down to the 325wsm. I bought two 325wsm rifles. Not the most practical choice in terms of availability. There are enough good 8mm projectiles out there though. And all the wsm cases are the same(except the 7mm in the shoulder). So any case can be used for the other. Or a simple barrel swap(and new dies) to one of the other wsm cartridges. There is so much overlap with all the available cartridges out there today,that it’s hard to fill a void. So many conversations can be had about the impracticality of many. But it’s always fun to add rifles to one’s collection. If they die off you can simply accumulate brass and reload.

Totally agree. I have 2 different 300 WSM's and a 270 WSM, had a 7mm WSM, that I wish I still had. I am in a couple different Facebook hunting pages dedicated to hunting here in AK. Several people have claimed they switched to the 300 WSM in the past few years, and many people seem to be picking up 325 WSMs as well. I can't say the same for the 270 WSM up here, but it does have a small following. I carry one of my .300 WSM's about 50% of the time for all of my hunting. I don't see them completely drying up, but I do think you'll see less over time.

Both my 325 wsm rifles rock. It would be nice to have Lapua brass but it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t overly fuss to reload for them. .75 sub moa 10 shot groups out of my sporters is good enough for now. Besides I’d only feel the need to get tighter 10 inch groups if I had a custom long range rifle in the cartridge.

I have a 300 wsm and 325 wsm.. I used to carry the 325 wsm all the time. But haven’t hunted it in a few yrs. Did hunt the 300 wsm this fall for moose.

The 300WSM will never die. The others are on their last leg. Ready to fall off into the abyss like their little brother the WSSM...

The only "unfeedable" guns are those antiques chambered for obscure rimfire rounds. Anything else is obtainable over the internet. No problem when there isn't a scare on. When there is a scare on having some less common cartridges means you are more likely to find ammo for sale.

I use rel 22 and 130bt and getting a 5 shot average 3256 magneto speed win 70 with very good accuracy.

I pretty much thought that they were “still born”! An answer to a question, that no one asked! memtb

The only short/ fat I care for is the .450 Marlin.
With the bottlenecks, I like a longer round, with a longer , gentle shoulder. I see no advantage with wsm's.

I’ve run a 270 wsm in a browning since they first came out. Always liked the cartridge and the rifle. Good accuracy, fed well, and 3 round mag was fine +1 in chamber. Then I started reading about all the problems with the wsm and wondered what the heck. To me the wsm is nice in that you can download it if needed and run it hot when you need. I’m a big fan and my wsm isn’t going anywhere.

I just purchased 325 and 7mm WSM brass from Reloading Unlimited. Red WW packs and two of the 7mm brass have wrinkles in the shoulders and are unuseable.

They were never really alive, from a relative sales perspective...................not that they weren't/arent good.

Just a case of too many choices & the market too diluted.

If someone is starting from scratch, they are all great choices.

MM

..

Never been able to see the need for any wiss -um, to each their own. Rio7

I don't know, JB said that when the .300 WSM came out he spoke to Winchester and they told him it sold 8 times more than they had predicted.

My 270 WSM ain’t dead.

Some of us bought a ss plastic fantastic 70 7 Wissum for a bit between jack schart and sweet Phark all so as long as I'm not too drain bamaged to form brass I'll keep it running.

I remember the .270, 7mm, and .300 WSM's being somewhat popular when they first came out, and I even owned a .300 and .270 for a short time. I also remember the biggest complaint from reloaders was not being able to match factory numbers with any off the shelf powders, but not sure if that has changed with some of the newer powders. Personally, I never loaded for either of mine, so I can't really say either way. I do know I've seen a few .325 WSM's on local shelves that the stores just about couldn't give away, ammo availability is an issue.

Great post.

It's interesting living in whitetail country that the 300 wsm is out of favor. During this ammo shortage, almost every store still has some factory 300 wsm on the shelves.

Around here the Wissums sold to the guys who top them with Saskatchewan Super Sniper Seal Six Spy Scopes, wear magic hunting boots, wear full camo of the latest pattern, a belt knife suitable for trench warfare, driving King Ranch Fords, and if you do (rarely) see them outside their pickup, they are staring at a Garmin Neverlost or their smartphone. Hunting fashionistas. As you go further east in this county out of the dense timber, into the sagebrush country...then you begin to see equipment that would shame Delta Force, 1,400 yard shots being more common there.

The point of the WSM cartridges is to get near magnum performance in a shorter, lighter rifle. In other words, not offering new ballistics is the whole goal of the WSM cartridge design. The point being, manufacturers can then build a rifle that is light and handy, and still get 300WM ballistics (or 7mm Rem Mag, etc). Put another way, chambering an action built for a 300WM in 300WSM is indeed dumb. But, that is what most manufacturers do/did.

Pretty much only one manufacturer, Kimber, built a rifle around the WSM cartridge dimensions. And, a Kimber Montana in 300WSM is a joy to carry and gives up nothing to the 300WM in the field. Maybe eastern hunters in thick forest and in tree stands don't appreciate the weight savings, but us guys running around the Rocky Mountains sure do.

Jim Borden builds an action specifically for the WSM. I sold a 7mm SAUM, a couple .30-06s, a Kimber .338, and a 673 in .350 Rem to fund the build and it was the best rifle purchase I have ever made. I never thought I’d be a 1 gun hunter, but I haven’t carried another rifle in 3 years. It’s incredibly easy cartridge to load for, effortless to carry, and has performed well on everything from whitetail to bison. I really hope it’s here to stay.

The Winchester M70 WSM action is not a magnum length. Nor is it a short action. Built specifically for the WSM it is.

Are you referencing total weight?